One of the greatest horseracing stories in recent times was about the Dennis Drier-trained Dynasty filly Beach Beauty.
On Saturday at Kenilworth her well-named son Narina Trogon, a Drakenstein homebred colt by Silvano trained by Candice Bass-Robinson, won on debut over 1000m in fine style under Keagan de Melo.
He lost a couple of lengths at the start and was still green, but quickened superbly in the final stages to win by 1,50 lengths.
The win was in fact a bit reminiscent of Beach Beauty’s debut win by three lengths over 1450m at Clairwood where she displayed the superb turn of foot she was to become famous for.
Beach Beauty was raced in honour of the late Mark Armitage.
Mark was a keen birdwatcher and his best ever sighting was of the colourful but elusive forest bird, the Narina Trogon.
Marks’s best friend Warren Kidd recalled the day he spotted the bird and said, “I’d never seen anyone so excited about anything, let alone a bird!”
The Narina Trogon (wikipedia).
The colours of the Narina Trogon were thus used as the official colours of the Shanks syndicate, called after Mark’s nickname at University.
Beach Beauty in action in her colourful silks (Gold Circle).
The syndicate was made up of Mark’s widow Ruth and children and close friends.
Beach Beauty, bred by Mark’s father Trevor, was the first horse to race for the Shanks Syndicate.
She was viewed by some of her owners before she started racing as a pet who enjoyed being patted, but in fairytale fashion the tiny filly became a five-time Grade 1-winning champion.
Beach Beauty was named by Mark’s eldest daughter Kate.
It was fitting her first foal, the Grade 2-winning Wild Coast (Trippi), was born on the birthday of another of his daughter’s Hannah.
Drakenstein purchased Beach Beauty after her racing career was over.
It is now fitting a colt named after the bird Beach Beauty was so closely associated with has won on debut and he looks to have a promising career ahead of him.